Shock-absorber.



L. R. DUDLEY.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED 111111.29, 191s.

1,125,012, Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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JLQJQQAM/ l/Yl/E/YTOR HTTORNEX L.R.DU DLEY. SHOCK ABSORBER. APPLICATIONFILED MAR. 29,1913.-

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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INUENTORL Frrronlvsy k. NORRIS PETER 0., WASHINGTON. 0v 6 UMTED STATESPATENT onrron LYLE R. DUDLEY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Application filed March 29, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYLE R. DUDLEY, residing in the city and county ofSan Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shock-Absorbers, whereof the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to the art of traveling by wheeled vehicles,especially to passenger travel, and particularly to means for avoidingshocks to the body of said vehicles from inequalities of surface in theroad. Such inequalities exist in the form of ruts and sudden elevations,the former tending to shock the vehicle in falling and the latter by atoo rapid lifting; and the object of my invention is to provide a newand improved shock absorber which shall counteract both forms of shock.

With the said object in view my invention consists in the combinationwith a lever having one end suspended on the vehicle axle, and its otherend connected with an arm extending from the body, said connection beingmade throughaspiral spring;

and an elliptical spring joining the center of said lever to a pointdirectly above on the body.

It also consists in the novel parts, combinations and arrangements setforth in the following description, particularly pointed out in theclaims at the end hereof, and

illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawing of which Figure 1,is a broken view in elevation of the rear part of a wheeled vehicle suchas an automobile, with one of the wheels removed to show one of my shockabsorbers in place; Fig. 2, is a somewhat enlarged view of that portionof the lever which lies near the axle, showing its mode of attachmentthereto; Fig. 3, is a sectional view taken along the line ab of Fig. 2,with the addition of collars for preventing longitudinal motion andshowing a partial elevation of the axle; Fig. 4, is a view similar toFig. 2

showing a modification for securing the device to vehicles of thefloating axle type; Fig. 5, is a broken view somewhat enlarged of therear portion of an automobile provided with my invention and showingmeans for holding the elliptical spring in position and Fig. 6, is arear end elevation of an automobile, showing a section of both shockabsorbers and holding means taken along the line c-d of Fig. 5.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

Serial No. 757,522.

The same symbol of reference marks the same part in whichever view saidpart may appear.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is the upper frame work of a wheeledvehicle, in the present case an automobile, to which I shallparticularly refer hereafter, and from said frame arms 2 extendbackward. A spiral spring 3 is hooked to the end of said arm and a lever4, at one of its extremities, also engages said springs. Said lever issupported on an axle 5 at its other end. Near the middle point of thelever 4 an elliptical spring 6 is pivoted; and said spring is alsopivoted to the upper frame, the pivots being marked 7 and 8respectively. The axle end of the lever 4 is secured to the axle by thecollar 9, which is free to rotate on said axle, and is fixed to saidlever by bolts 10 and 11; and is secured against longitudinal motion onthe axle 5 by the collars 12 and 13 shown exclusively in Fig. 3.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, 14 is the housing of the axle onwhich is riveted the plate 15; the lever 4 being pivoted to said plateat the point 16. The vehicle wheels 17 and 18 are mounted on axle 5. Theweight of the body is normally supported on the elliptical springs 6,which are sustained by the levers 4, spiral springs 3 and axle 5.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown in these figures means forholding the springs 6 in alinement with arms 2 and levers 4 whichconsists of straps 19 bent in the form of a U shape and secured at itsopen end to the arms 2 and between its projecting members the ellipticalspring 6 and lever 4 are freely held in position.

The mode of operation of my device is as follows: If the vehicle wheelsstrike a rut, the shock of contact is first partially absorbed bycompressing springs 6, and then by extending springs 3, the pivots 7 and8 acting as fulcrums between springs 3 and the axle. When an obstructionis encountered, springs 3 are the first to be affected, being subjectedto tension through lever 4; and springs 6 exert a supplementary reactionthrough their compression.

In the construction of my device I have considered that the wheels 17and 18 will travel upward and downward in a path apfrom the vertical maybe accomplished, and still keep the wheel within the true are upon whichit must travel to avoid throwing out of engagement the differentialgears in casing 20.

Having thus described my invention and believing I have produced usefuland novel improvements in the art to which it appertains let it beunderstood that I do not wish to .be limited to the exact constructionand arrangement of the several parts composing the same as many changescan be made without departing from the spirit thereof but what I claimand desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is Claims- 1. Incombination with the frame work of a vehicle and the axle wheelsthereof, 'a shock-absorber, comprising arms projecting outwardly fromthe rear end of said frame work, levers secured to said axle andprojecting outwardly parallel to said arms, tension springs secured atthe outward projecting rear ends of said arms and levers and compressionsprings secured between said arms and levers.

2. In combination with the frame work of a vehicle and the axle wheelsthereof, a

shock-absorber comprising arms projecting outwardly from the rear end ofsaid frame work, levers secured to said axle and projecting outwardlyparallel to said arms, spiral springs secured at the outward projectingrear ends of said arms and levers and elliptical springs between saidarms and levers and secured thereon about the longitudinal center ofsaid levers.

3. In combination with the frame work of a vehicle and the axle wheelsthereof, a shock-absorber comprising arms projecting outwardly from therear end of said frame work and levers secured to said axle andprojecting parallel to said arms, spiral springs secured at the outwardprojecting ends of said arms and levers, elliptical springs securedbetween said arms and levers and a U-shaped device for holding saidelliptical springs in alinement with said arms and levers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereto set my hand in thepresence of witnesses, this 22nd day of March, 1913.

LYLE R. DUDLEY. Witnesses:

C. V. DUDLEY, B. C. CHESTER.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents.

. Washington, D. C.

